went to a cousin's baby's one-month birthday party.
this baby is born with a golden spoon in her mouth.
they stay in this 1.5 million dollars condo along upper bt timah road,
with 6 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, 2 private parking lots just at their door,
a ground-level outdoor dining spot, a rooftop patio, swimming pool, gym, tennis court, half basketball court, big cars.

a 4 split-level house plus a basement.

such is life. fairness and unfairness.
but i have to say, my cousin was from a very poor family, he works very hard and always top his class, he has everything he wants now, but he is still that humble.

he deserves all these.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

after that, to release stress, i went to k-box and sang for 5 hours. my only audience was A.
reader k | 2/26/2006 02:34:00 PM | 1 comments

behind these smiles, we were both tired and feeling sick.
one and a half years more to go. hang in there!


reader k | 2/25/2006 01:41:00 AM | 6 comments

what the fish fish fish fish fuck fuck fuck!!!!!!!

the blog entry i've just spent 15 mins to write is gone gone gone!

argh argh argh!

not my day day day!

aaarrgggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

pissed.

reader k | 2/25/2006 01:10:00 AM | 2 comments

dear widya messaged and ask me to update my blog.
she must be so bored at home on her surgery MC.
hey girl, so here i am, almost dead, but will update for you.

my beloved class decor is still undone,
or rather, what has been done so far is either left to die or already dead.
so, after holding back 3NB art students for an amazingly short detention (5 mins); after scolding one N level art student for not doing his one-week detention properly, i took time off to do the classroom decor, with my one and only student.

still not fully done. what can 2 person accomplish in 2 hours?
exhausted.
totally.

i came back to the staff room, finally able to check my work emails for today.
my markings are still stalling in the artroom, untouched.
next week's work not planned.
this friday's CCA and coursework again.
next week SDC presentation.
i saw the email on SYF poster design - how i wished i'm able to submit something for the school, but my mind's a blank.

my boss is as crazy as i am,
as i was checking emails, i saw an email from her sent at 6.27pm at 6.28pm.
she is still in school.

the next minute i received an sms from her:
it's time for you to pack up and go home!

i replied:
haha, the pot calling the kettle black! :)

she replied:
i have stepped out of school already!!

okie, she won. :)



reader k | 2/22/2006 06:37:00 PM | 0 comments

we made a point to leave school by 6pm
for narnia and to see wid.
we left by 6.05pm! Well done!!!!

got her a bottle of Chanel Chance,
she'd wanted that.
Happy Birthday! :)

we were all stressed
from work, cca, paper work, nonsense.

i'm thankful i have these nice people at work.
thanks sandy, grace, widya and clarisse.


reader k | 2/21/2006 12:19:00 AM | 1 comments

mass run.
i ran with my class.
out of 39, minus the absentees, those not in PE attire,
i ran with 11 of them.
how pathetic.
but i tried to cheer them on, i ran with them.
some asked me why am i running with them.
"because you're my class".

2 students lied to me today.
i don't know what to feel except to let out a big sigh.
it's going to take a lot to make them believe that i want the best for them.



reader k | 2/21/2006 12:10:00 AM | 2 comments

yes you are so right.
his love for me is selfless.
my love for him is selfish.

that is only because he is the only one in my life that allows me to be my true self.

you are not to be involved
because you are my dearest friend.
yes, you are.

just that.
reader k | 2/19/2006 03:58:00 PM | 1 comments

today is gerald babe's birthday.
i sent him a birthday wish through sms, which i should not have because he is a dear dear friend, a sms birthday wish???!!!! that is so uncalled for!!!!! but i know i won't see him today.

benny returned my call after getting my message asking what are we up to for gerald's birthday. as i have expected not to see gerald today, benny informed that gerald is just beside him on the phone right now. they went out partying last night obviously and now they are too tired, especially the birthday boy. every year has been in this way. the two boys will go for crazy stuffs on their own and leave me and weiyah out. then we will do another round of celebration the following week. haha

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

i went out with cheekang yesterday because he wanted to treat me to dinner to celebrate and thank me for his A2 in art. he ended up accompanying me to buy birthday present for a friend and shoe shopping. got the present but didn't get any shoes i fancy. the best part is, we talked a lot over dinner and it was great. how different some of these kids have changed over these past months. then wilson and desmond joined us and 4 of us just sat and talked more and more.

finally we ate ice-cream in the cold wind and headed home by 5am.

i hope they will get into the courses they'd wanted, if not, at the least, be able to tune themselves into the new environment and challenges they are going to face in this new portion of their lives.

love ya all.
reader k | 2/19/2006 03:09:00 PM | 0 comments

i put up a calendar in class with the kids' birthdates clearly marked out.
some complained.

they said, with great concern, "Cher, like that sure die one!"
i asked with pretence ignorance, "why would you die on your birthday?"

of course it's all about being sabo by their friends on their birthdays,
and yes, that was my intention for putting up the calendar.
hahahahahahahahahahaha.

how i love my 3NC.


reader k | 2/18/2006 01:41:00 PM | 0 comments

* 81 days to N Levels Coursework deadline
reader k | 2/18/2006 01:28:00 PM | 0 comments

art
coursework remedial was pretty fruitful.
kids came in at different times, almost like movies screening:
12.35pm, 1.30pm, 2pm, 2.30pm, 2.45pm
but they all stayed for more than the required one hour.
bought lollipops for them, they were happy.
they were focused, doing as many sketches as possible, taking Q numbers to see us, talking to us more and more about their work, even ask for permission for toilet breaks.

the scolding session on wednesday worked.
the mirror-reflection method seems to have woken some of them who have been in dreamland all the while.

i hope this will last too.

*82 days more to N level coursework deadline.
-------------------------------------------------------------

cca
friday is madness for me.
5 periods of lesson later, i started coursework at 2pm
4 hours later i went to SJAB to close parade.
apparently they have upset her.
i took some time to talk to the 2 comp teams,
then even more time to the seniors.
we sat there till 7 plus, finally sorted out a solution.
hope things work.

many times i felt bad that i wasn't able to give SJAB more time.
i just wished i have more energy.
---------------------------------------------------------

form class
kids still doze off during reading periods
still caught by DM for silly deeds done
one and two still don't know how to spell the word "die"
they made a teacher cry today.

when will they learn?
reader k | 2/18/2006 12:37:00 AM | 0 comments

i don't know.
but i just want to ask.


reader k | 2/16/2006 11:12:00 PM | 0 comments

i have a great PC lesson with 3NC today.
i have a great ART lesson with 3NC today.

i hope sometimes good things do last.
reader k | 2/16/2006 10:29:00 PM | 0 comments

i have a ticket to Franz Ferdinand's performance
today.
i decided not to go.
$70.

because:
you said you thought it's ok.
but suddenly i felt the hurt.
i can't see myself seeing her tonight and not think about that.

at this moment,
i wished i don't have to see you too.
reader k | 2/16/2006 04:51:00 PM | 3 comments

counting the number of notes i've written and the number of chocolates I've given out to friends in the staff room made me really happy. it may not be too many, but knowing that i was able to drop off these little notes on their table and later see a smile on their faces, i was glad i was able to give. that is the greatest joy.

i got 39 stalks of roses, little clothe-pegs of heart tags and chocolates for my form class. i couldn't find an appropriate time to give them today except to ask them to stay back after assembly. they were giving me faces when announced that 3NC was to stay back in the hall. but when they saw that i wasn't going to scold them, but to give them roses and chocolates, some of them were just surprise. i was so glad to see their little smiles.

counting blessings, i'm doing that.

happy valentines day to all,
especially to alex dear,
my cheesepies,
wid, grace, sandy, clarisse and reh,
my ex-sec 5s!!!!
my dearest 3NC and 3NB!!!
and my art students of 4NB and 4E4!!!


reader k | 2/14/2006 10:42:00 PM | 3 comments

i stoned over the weekends.
it just won't stop pounding.
the pain -
a hammer onto your forhead constantly
the veins pulled and stretched
no blood
just plain pain.

i threw up 4 times
the pain kept me awake
my painkiller don't work

dr tey's magic injection will cost
but it will do.


reader k | 2/13/2006 02:17:00 PM | 1 comments

i've spent so much time in school, that all of a sudden, i felt that i've not been home for a long time.

school has become home, and home has become school.

after 5 periods of lessons on friday, i had a student for re-test, met up with a long-lost student for coffee before the released of O's result. after all the hee-hee-haa-haa, some lingered on to talk. i had to go to the loo. then settled some CCA matters and finally had my lunch at 5pm. close parade at 6pm for SJAB and went upstairs to go through the coursework with my foreign kids, check on the camp activities and finally back to staff room to find some more friends still hanging around. between joking, eating and laughing till we teared in the staff room, we checked on the kids again and again. finally at almost midnight, i sent meiling and sandy home to shower, and mas home. picked up the former 2 again and headed back to school at 1.30am.

2am staff lounge
meiling doing cross-stitch
sandy marking maths paper
mdm ang slept on the sofa
i watched TV and ate satays
kids are back in bunk
zech and marcus fast asleep in artbox

3am
meiling doing cross-stitch
the whole world is asleep

woke at 8am for my foreign kids are to be in by 8.30am.
they finally arrived at 9.30am. 2 absent.
coursework, lunch break, finally packed them off at 5pm.
break camp at 5pm.
debrief with camp-commander and sent mas home.
i reached home at 6.30pm.
while waiting for the lift, i realised that a fitness area had been built beside the basketball court.
i felt like i've not been home for a very long time.
reader k | 2/11/2006 09:34:00 PM | 6 comments

from F9 to A2,
dear chee kang
i am so proud of you!! :)

finally met up with jaijin.
it has been 3 whole years!
my first student in my teaching career.

thanks claire, suet, ting and ping for the gifts.
thanks des for being "natural".
thanks wilson for carrying heavy stuffs.
thanks naz for the smile.
thanks qixian for the pen.
thanks lala for the tears.
thanks ruru for sticking to her mind to go TP.
thanks sophia and rathiya for the wonderful result.
thanks ikhwan for still being so cute.
thanks yong cun for bringing jiajin.
thanks guan cheng for doing well.
thanks ben for not saying 'fuck' when i gave you the result.
thanks lay yan for calling me a dork.
thanks chloe for the hug.
thanks kin leong for your wordless expression.


these are a few of the strange vibes that kept me going here.


the early birds.


ikhwan and me
reader k | 2/11/2006 02:41:00 PM | 0 comments

he gave the black i-wanna-kill-you face to the idiot who showed attitude to me.
throughout the one and a half hour.

i was amused,
but mostly, touched.





reader k | 2/09/2006 11:29:00 PM | 0 comments

reader k | 2/07/2006 12:15:00 AM | 0 comments

saw chloe at zouk flea,
saw laurent at zouk flea,
saw benny at zouk flea,
saw gerald at zouk flea,
saw daniel at zouk flea,
saw gavin at zouk flea,
saw terence at zouk flea,
saw jasper at zouk flea,
saw jasmine at zouk flea,
saw nothing to buy at zouk flea.
reader k | 2/07/2006 12:06:00 AM | 0 comments

check it out . check it out


reader k | 2/06/2006 12:18:00 AM | 0 comments

LOVES OF MINE

reader k | 2/05/2006 01:17:00 PM | 0 comments

we ventured into sengkang for a night of experimental food and merry making; the big screen projector for cinematic experience and lots of non-work talks.


mr patrick's special door-gift for his guests:
salmon sushi with lots of mayo and a touch of fire from his new toy, sprinkled with black pepper and salt.


jacklyn, me and joel having fun making tiny pizzas. i stopped after the first one, they made them for the whole night.


everyone showing off their creativity in popiah-making







reader k | 2/05/2006 12:35:00 PM | 0 comments

went over to nel's place to pick up the sleeping bags for the camp next week, and i got a surprise:

yutong is able to call me "gugu"!!
yuxin is still figuring out the tone.
yeah! yeah! yeah!
how fast the kiddies grow.

- please don't grow up so fast.

reader k | 2/05/2006 01:11:00 AM | 0 comments

thinking about actually doing real work over the weekend has a soporific effect on me.

tsk tsk.
when will the stupid cough disappear?
reader k | 2/04/2006 03:17:00 PM | 2 comments

this week's highlight:

COUGH COUGH KOUGH
reader k | 2/03/2006 10:18:00 PM | 0 comments

teaching art gives you all the hype,
makes you high high high.
i lasted more than 12 hours, again and again.

able to be in the fashion i'm most comfortable in while teaching, helps.
no warnings yet.
i love my school.

tomorrow is the day.
coursework remedial, 2 classes in one big room.
next up is the visit to NAFA open house,
and the camp.
busy busy week ahead.

yippeee yippeee ya ya!
reader k | 2/02/2006 10:05:00 PM | 0 comments

my my jiby-jiby-sing-sang-song!!!!
usually i'll be good and stay in for a school night,
but we went k-box last night and sang till we almost drop.
me, benny, daniel and salleh sang non-stop,
A and gerald have been the best audiences.
salleh and his purpose-ful malay MTVs made us laughed louder than we sang!
daniel did a whole range of female chinese and cantonese concert.
benny performed brilliantly as back-up singer,
and i sang to my hearts-content my favourite May Day.

bumped into favourite laurent who gave me a big fright and a big hug to ease the shock in me after.

late late, i drove at 120km/h to send the tired gerald home.
slept 4 hours and it's school day.

phew.





reader k | 2/01/2006 10:11:00 PM | 4 comments

as i was driving to school this morning, a thought came to my mind:
"one and a half years more to go into my bond, and i can choose to stop teaching".

then i thought again:
"what will i do then? i'll be almost 34 years old by then. i can't go back to graphic design, neither do i want to continue teaching till i am of age to retire."

told groupies 211 over dinner about my silly thought.
A said i can just be tai-tai.
- i'll be bored to death, because i don't have tai-tai friends

C said i can start an online shop to sell stuffs, and get into professional flea market business
W added that i can make my little clothes and shoes and bags and brooches, and they are so tiny that she won't be my customer as she can't fit in them.

C went on more to almost making a whole business plan for me.

sounds feasible.
i said "making things for little people"

------------------------------------------------------------

early in the morning today, i screamed at my class to get their butt moving, to get their bloody story books to read during reading period. i was really really really angry at them.

they moved,
they read,
they went quiet.

it need not have to be this way,
really, especially so early in the morning.
i don't feel good screaming at them.

they'll never know.

what ticks?
i need to find out.


reader k | 2/01/2006 09:46:00 PM | 3 comments